GOVERNMENT DEFEATED.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 10 July 1912, Page 3

GOVERNMENT DEFEATED.

ON NO - CONFIDENCE MOTION

BY 41 TO 33 VOTES

MILLAR, REED, RHODES, COAT.ES AND CLARK VOTE FOR

OPPOSITION,

The Liberal Government after being in power for 22 years were defeat' last Saturday morning at 4. 45.am, after an all night sitting, on a want of Confidence Motion moved by Mr, W, P. Massey, at the opening of Par-, liament a fortnight ago. Tho Government met the House presumably two voted stronger than on the last

' occasion when Sir Joseph Ward won on the casting vote of the Chairiran. The Mackenzie Ministry however were defeated by 41 to 33 votes, which means that five members who followed the Government into the lobby last Feburary, voted with the Opposition on this occasion, these gentlemen were the Hon J. A. Millar, and Messrs E, H. Clark (Port Chalmers) Vernon Reed (Bay of Islands) Gordon Coates (Kaipara) and T. W. Rhodes (Thames) ; the Government was also weakened by -Roderick Mckenzie not vot-* ingl, and A. T. Ngata (Eastern Maori), At 11.4.5 on Friday evening a division was taken on the adjournment moved by Mr Hindmarsh, which was lost by 33 ayes to 39 noes. The result of the division was received quietly by the House. Mr. R. W. Smith resumed the debate which was carried on by the Hon Mr McDonald. The Prime Minister (Hon T. Mckenzie) who followed said that he thought the occasion one in which the preservation of dignity was the just necessity. A ci;isis had been reached, and he extended his thanks to the men who had so loyally extended their confidence to him. He would like to have seen the debate extended more to those who opposed the Government. He thought the honourable members on the Opposition, benches phould have expressed their opinions on the policy brought down by the Liberal Government, instead of having maintained a. rigid silence. He felt confident that the people of Now Zealand would have given -their verdict in favour of the present Government —he personally would bo only too glad to submit'the issue to the country, and offered there and then to meet the Leader of the Opposition and his party on the hustings. It Juts been his endeavour, while leading the party to strike a high political level, and he hoped the Liberal party had not suffered at his hands. Throughout the debate there has been no charges of dereliction of duty made against the Administration, or of their having ignored the interests of the country. Mr Rhodes (Thames') congratulated thy Premier on Ins bearing under trying circumstances, and paid tribute to his evccllent work to the country as Minister for Agriculture. Hon. I. Mekonzie criticised the party for " allowing' the ragtng1 and bobtail Liberalism and political op portuiiipt.s It* assume control." He had nothing to say personally agaiust the present louder of this Liberal paity, and congratulated him on the film appeal ho made to the conntry hei'oro tho d'-ath soritonco was yinssod. He was out for dissolution if a reasonable Government could not be set up from an amalgamation of both pities. Mr Dickie expressed regret regarding the speech made by the member foi Motueka, and declared that those members who attended the Liberal caucus should have stood by what they promised. Sir Joseph Ward regretted the circulating of untruthful statements that he had everted influence against the H( n. J. A. Millar. He took no part in the selectiun or! the leader. Sir Joseph Ward concluding that the leader of the Opposition would a? Piiine Minister find many difficulties in his path, and, knoAvrag the wreaths of dilHculties of the position, he extended his .sympathy with his congratulations to Mr. Mas=sey. He would noed both. (Laughter.) Mr Wilford declared that the speech t,hft Pn-mier had delivered that night was ono thatwt/uld never bo forgotten for its honest, genuine ring. The Leader of tho Opposition hud the ;hance of his lifetime, If he shook himself free ftom the trammels of the past and produced a policy of liberality — evolution without revolution — le would iind support from quarters .oast expected. Tho Premier, according to the ;isu;d custom, asked I'or mi fi'ljonrnnont till Tuesday, when, lie said, lie would announce what course the Uovornment intended to take. Mr Massey I]ion moved that a comuittee consisting of Messrs. Allen, lumber, Ct, M. Thomson, and the mover be appointed a committee to prepare the Address in-Reply to the '•rovornor's Speech, which the Speaker it nouurul he would present to GovTHUfmt the Miue afternoon. " r * Till] DIVISION, \ |En><Citt . "'iji vas reached at -1.-4 o am, P&*i &c L^laaiig. the Hon. J. A. WaUtoj^itereuSi-1.0 chambers. The U , noe s 33, the aV^&S^ Tiij] GOVEttN-iM^NT-^Anr. Cfll , Allen, Bdl J, Boiicu.i, *X I'^ ii, ;i llu ] j Bradnoy, Buick, Buehanar,^ Ca^p^ Q lai . iC) Coates, Uickson\ £ si;ott> Yishev, Yi^li (Jutluu' ' aiu^ Il bx dm,w. JJLiqo, Iluntoi, l-^o Malcolm, Maidv , -vlj-av. Millai^ v. A k XuM . lUJJ.U. E. e^■'JUiuHg^\^^H^^~ l)lvfciA

FORTBE GOVERNMENT : —Atmore, Brown, Bnddo, Buxton, Carroll, Colvm, Davey, Dickie, Ell, Forbes, Glover, Hanan. Hmdmarsh, I sitt, Laurenson, McCaJlum. MaeDonald, Mackenzie. Myers, Parata, Payne, Poland, Eangihiroa, Robertson, Russell, Seddon, Sidey, R. W, Smith, J. C. Thomson, Veitch, Ward Wilfo.id, Witty, MR MASSEY'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Before the House adjourned, Mr Massey expressed acknowledgment of the temperate character of the debate. He expressed the hope that whatever occurred during the next few weeks, both sides would work together for tho time being, to the good of the country. He thanked the Premier and members of the Government party for their generous reference to himself. PREMIER'S CONGRATULATIONS The Premier extended hearty congratulations to Mr Massey, and assured him of every assistance by members of the present Ministry. Tho resignation of the Mackenzie Ministry was tendered to the Governor on Saturday evening. Mr Mackenzie met Parliament on Tuesday as Premier, and announced that he had tendered his resignation. Mr. Massey said he could not be regarded as Premier until he and his new Ministry had sworn in, and as under tho Constitution the' country cannot be without a Government, Mr. Mackenzie retained office until his successors were sworn in. The now Cabinet were sworn in at Government House to-day, and occupied the Treasury benches for the first time this afternoon. Owing to the late arrival of the lonic, Mr. Herries will not reach Wellington till Thursday evening, and until he had personally accepted a portfolio, he could not be officially included in the Ministry. Inquiries point to" the fact that there was some difficulty in cabinet construction, and it is hinted that it was in connection with the representation of Taranaki. where there are rival claimants for a portfolio.